We redesign the Internet

Today is an important day for us: We are launching a new version of Cliqz for Firefox. Our users have helped us with their feedback and input to bring the direct, fast, and smart way of navigating the Internet to the next level.

I also want to take the opportunity to explain our vision and how Cliqz for Firefox fits into it. In fact, this small browser extension is only the tip of an iceberg in the sense that the visible part of our product hides a very large story and ambition: We redesign the Internet.

Why does the Internet need a redesign?

Let me start with a few thoughts about the “user-agent”, something that is supposed to act in the interest of or on behalf of the user. We associate the term “user-agent” with the browser, but it is our belief that browsers have stopped being a proper user-agent a long time ago. Technically speaking: today’s browsers are client-installed implementations of heavily negotiated standards. We have nothing against standards per se, but it is hard to argue that the standards have really taken the user interests into account. The entire industry has become based towards making the browser’s navigation box as “dumb” as possible, in order to send the traffic where the money is: search engines

Search engines basically have two ways to make money: The most obvious is advertising on search result pages. This business model is the reason why search engines lead you directly to their result pages instead of leading you to the relevant website.

The less obvious revenue source for search engines, is collecting and exploiting personal data. Your steering wheel through the Internet, the navigation box, basically has been turned into a search input box that immediately leaks everything you type in to search engines, like Google, in the least private imaginable way. They know it’s YOU typing that query and they know all about the ones you typed before.

Search engines are not the only ones spying you. Your browser does not only display content, but also paves the way for advertising trackers that website owners have consciously or unconsciously put on their page. Many websites also contain widgets that leak considerable information to the widget makers. The advertising industry blocks every attempt to implement privacy approaches such as “do not track by default”.

Empower the user

The user should be able to drive the browser, not the other way around. The user should have the control and ownership of his data. Cliqz wants to give the power back to the user. This is how we do it:

We give the steering wheel back in the hands of the userOur concept “search directly in the browser” spares our users the use of traditional search engines and to avoid unnecessary detours and data grabbing.

We use big data only in favour of the userSuggesting users the most relevant websites is a data business. All too often, this is an excuse to collect your personal data. We take a different way. We create a big data architecture that ensures total privacy.

We protect users from data leaksThe advertising industry leads you to believe that you have an option to prevent tracking. In reality, they do their best to hide those options or make it tedious to opt for privacy. We develop technologies that enable users to see and to stop tracking when it happens.

We redesign the mobile experienceWe already created a new online experience by redesigning desktop browsers. And we are already working on ways to reinvent the mobile experience. (Spoiler: An app is just another kind of browser.)